


Soleil

by iwatsukki



Series: shut in [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Akaashi is a nurse and Bokuto is a pro volleyball player, Fluff, M/M, as you may have already guessed quarantine STILL got me fucked up!, i picked Natsu to be the kid in the fic bc shes so cute, italics are flashbacks, this is like half canon-compliant and half not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:14:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23622136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwatsukki/pseuds/iwatsukki
Summary: There he is again, he who rises and falls, but brings warmth to the whole world all the same. He who Akaashi hopes to bask in for the rest of his life, lifting him up and absorbing his light. Bokuto, the sun.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Series: shut in [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1697956
Comments: 11
Kudos: 118





	Soleil

**Author's Note:**

> once again no proofreading if this makes NO sense i won't be surprised lol 
> 
> i don't work in the medical field so i'm sorry if there are inaccuracies

Nine o’ clock could not come soon enough. After a twelve-hour shift, Akaashi was beyond exhausted. He was a nurse at the children’s hospital, so he supposed that things could have been worse, but being up on his feet for half a day took a toll no matter how busy the shift. The clock ticks and he heads to do the vitals on his last patient one final time--a soon-to-be-discharged five-year-old girl named Natsu. 

She’s asleep when Akaashi walks in and he smiles behind his protective mask. Her cough had been bad enough the past few days that she couldn’t sleep, and it was a relief to see her little chest moving up and down calmly, her breaths normal and silent. Unfortunately, Akaashi would have to wake her up to take her vitals. He rests a hand lightly on her shoulder and gives her a gentle shake. 

“I’m sorry, you’re going to have to wake up for a moment while I take your vitals, okay?” 

Natsu whines and buries her face in the pillow for a moment, but drags herself to sit upright. Akaashi grabs a disposable thermometer and she opens her mouth, already knowing the drill. She looks at Akaashi sleepily as he takes her temperature, and he’s satisfied when he gets the reading. “Thirty-seven point five degrees, Celsius.” Almost normal. 

“Nurse ‘Kaashi, you’re pretty,” Natsu says, and Akaashi’s heart twists at the familiar way she says his name. “Are you married?” 

Akaashi grabs the blood pressure monitor from the other sides of the room and rolls it over. “I am married, Natsu-chan,” he says. “My husband and I have been married a few years now.” 

Natsu pouts, like she’s disappointed that Akaashi is off the market. “How did you guys meet?” 

Akaashi considers the question for a moment, and then responds. “We met in high school.” 

“Wow, Nurse ‘Kaashi! That must have been forever ago!” 

“I’m not _that_ old,” Akaashi sputters, but there’s a small smile on his face. 

_”Hey, uh, Akashi-kun? Could you help me practice spikes for just a little bit?”_

_The mild irritation at the mispronunciation of his name fades quickly when Akaashi sees who’s speaking to him. It's Bokuto Koutarou, the star second-year on the volleyball team, who had already become a household name amongst volleyball players in Tokyo for his powerful spikes and frankly speaking, brash demeanor._

_It's such a genuine and earnest request, and Bokuto looks so excited that Akaashi can’t bear to say no. Bokuto’s face lights up beautifully when Akaashi agrees, and he drags Akaashi to the court. “I hope my sets will be to your liking, Bokuto-san.”_

_Akaashi quickly learns that Bokuto has seemingly endless energy, that Akaashi cannot even begin to match. He always considered himself fit and athletic, especially since he had played volleyball his whole life and managed to make the team at a powerhouse school, but he was nothing compared to Bokuto._

_“Akashi!”_

_“It’s Akaashi, Bokuto-san.”_

_Akaashi is hunched over, trying to catch his breath, but he freezes when he sees Bokuto’s sneakers run up to him. He looks up, and Bokuto has the most brilliant smile on his face. “Akaashi! Your tosses are the best!”_

_Bokuto is like the sun, Akaashi decides. Bokuto is the golden, shining sun, and Akaashi’s life feels a little warmer with him in it._

“This might feel uncomfortable just for a minute, Natsu-chan.” Akaashi wraps the blood pressure cuff around Natsu’s arm and she squeezes her eyes shut. 

“When did you know you liked him, Nurse ‘Kaashi?” 

After working with children for a couple years, Akaashi was very familiar with the prying, personal questions they liked to ask. Kids didn’t know any better, and Akaashi didn’t confide in many people anyway, so he didn’t mind talking to the patients a bit when they asked him questions. It was the least he could do for his patients, so much love and courage contained in their tiny bodies. 

Akaashi presses the button on the machine and the cuff tightens on Natsu’s arm. “He and I were on the same volleyball team in high school. We were at nationals when I was a second-year and he was a third-year--”

“Ooh, ‘Kaashi, he’s older than you?” Natsu wiggles her eyebrows teasingly, and Akaashi wonders where she learned sass like that. Probably her older brother that he’s seen come to visit her a few times. 

“Just one year older than me, Natsu-chan. We were at nationals, and there was something our teammate said to me that made me realize I liked him.” 

_”You know Akaashi, you can just ignore Bokuto sometimes.”_

_The Fukurodani volleyball team is at spring nationals during Akaashi’s second year, and while he knows it's not his last spring tournament, it's his last with Bokuto, and the thought makes his stomach knot up in anxiety._

_Bokuto had been in one of his depressed moods during warm-ups, which Akaashi had talked him out of. Bokuto needed frequent reassurance, despite all of his talent and promise. Akaashi was the only one on the team who could read him and say exactly what he needed to hear. It was one of Akaashi’s talents--being able to cheer up Bokuto--and while Akaashi knew the rest of the team rolled their eyes at Bokuto’s antics, he also knew that when Bokuto was at his best, so was the rest of the team._

_When their teammate suggests that Akaashi just ignore Bokuto, Akaashi realizes that it's something he can’t even stomach thinking about. Ignore Bokuto-san? When he’s feeling down? The idea makes Akaashi uncomfortable. Bokuto was born to be great, and Akaashi would do whatever it took for him to reach his full potential._

_“I’m only able to draw out just a part of Bokuto-san’s abilities,” Akaashi says to his teammate. The words flow out of his mouth freely. “Watching Bokuto-san when he’s on top of his game is really satisfying.”_

_Akaashi looks over at Bokuto and catches him mid-spike, lifted high off the ground, jersey stretching taut across his broad chest, with the most beautiful smile on his face. The stadium lighting shines on him and he glows. Bokuto is the sun, Akaashi thinks, the source of his warmth and life and happiness. How could he ever ignore the sun?_

The blood pressure monitor releases, and Natsu sighs in relief when Akaashi takes the cuff off of her arm. “One-hundred over sixty-five,” he says, mostly to himself, and notes it on her chart. “Perfect, Natsu-chan.” 

“So then what happened, Nurse ‘Kaashi? Did you confess first or did he?” 

“He beat me to it.” 

_Akaashi knew he had to do something about these feelings he had for Bokuto before the third-years left for college. Ever since his revelation at the spring tournament, Akaashi couldn’t stop thinking about Bokuto, spending time with Bokuto, maybe even kissing Bokuto. Getting flustered was very uncharacteristic for a normally-stoic Akaashi, but every time he spoke to Bokuto he could feel himself blush._

_“Bokuto-san!” Akaashi calls when he sees that white mop of hair turn the corner. It's a Thursday, one day before Bokuto’s graduation, and Akaashi has finally mustered the courage to ask Bokuto out. Bokuto’s face lights up in a brilliant smile when he sees Akaashi, and trots down the hallway to meet him._

_“Hi ‘Kaashi! What’s up?”_

_Akaashi hopes that the butterflies in his stomach aren’t making him tremble too much. He can’t remember being this nervous for anything in his life--the spring tournament included. “Would you like to hang out this weekend, Bokuto-san?”_

_“Yes!” Bokuto blurts out, and Akaashi flinches back at the volume with which Bokuto answers. Bokuto puts an apologetic hand on Akaashi’s shoulder, and the warmth of his palm scalds Akaashi even through his school uniform. “Yes, Akaashi,” Bokuto tries again, “I would love to hang out this weekend. My parents want to have a family dinner after graduation tomorrow night, but are you free on Saturday?”_

_Saturday rolls around and Akaashi spends a strangely long time nitpicking over his appearance as he gets ready, even though he knows Bokuto would never notice or never care. He meets Bokuto at a local bakery and finds him at a table in the back. When Akaashi sits down, he notices the piping hot drink in front of him._

_“Akaashi! I got you a drink. I got you hot chocolate because I always order hot chocolate,” Bokuto rambles. Akaashi stares at the cup of hot chocolate and doesn’t say anything. Bokuto is so endearing that it makes his heart hurt. “I’m sorry if you don’t like it, I know it’s getting warmer outside but I didn’t know what you wanted so I just--”_

_“It’s perfect, Bokuto-san. Thank you.”_

_Bokuto sinks into his chair in relief. “Okay, good.”_

_“Did you decide on where you’re going to school, Bokuto-san?”_

_To nobody’s surprise, Bokuto had been scouted by several universities to play for their volleyball teams. He was an incredible player, one of the top five aces in the country, so it only made sense that coaches were begging at his feet to come play for them._

_“I think I’m going to go to Tokyo University, they have a good team and it's close to home,” Bokuto says, sipping on his drink. “Their ace is graduating this year, so I might actually have a chance to be a starter next season, ‘Kaashi!”_

_Bokuto speaks animatedly about his ambitions for the team, and what he wants to study, and normally Akaashi would be more than happy to listen to him talk, but there are three words on the tip of his tongue that he’s dying to say and are burning his insides. Bokuto must sense his discomfort because his monologue tapers off into a somewhat awkward silence._

_“Boku--”_

_“Akaash--”_

_They speak at the same time. Akaashi snaps his mouth shut and tries not to notice how Bokuto’s ears have flushed a deep red. “You first, Bokuto-san, please.”_

_“I-, I think I love you, ‘Kaashi.”_

_The world stops around them. They’re held hostage in the moment, with no desire to be rescued, and Akaashi wouldn’t mind drowning in the vulnerable, earnest look in Bokuto’s eyes. He looks at Akaashi like he’s awaiting his executioner, like he’s laid bare in front of the world, shaking and afraid. It’s a look Akaashi has never seen in his eyes before, and despite how terrified he is, he knows how unfair it would be to keep Bokuto on edge much longer._

_Akaashi reaches across the table to take Bokuto’s hands in his. They both tremble. “I love you too, Bokuto-san.”_

_There he is again, he who rises and falls, but brings warmth to the whole world all the same. He who Akaashi hopes to bask in for the rest of his life, lifting him up and absorbing his light. Bokuto, the sun._

Akaashi takes Natsu’s hand gently and puts the respiration monitor on her tiny finger while she stares at him with round eyes. 

“How did he propose, Nurse ‘Kaashi?” 

“He took me to dinner after my last nursing school exam and asked me.” He knows it doesn’t sound super exciting, but Akaashi’s heart still swells at the memory. The respiration monitor beeps and Akaashi jots down the reading. “You’re doing much better, Natsu-chan, even compared to earlier today.” 

_Akaashi was half exhausted, half ecstatic after his last final exam for his nursing degree. All the lectures, labs, and clinicals had culminated in the diploma that he would be receiving in a few days. He’d even managed to secure a job at the Tokyo Metropolitan Children’s Medical Center that started in a few weeks. And, not to mention, he and Bokuto had signed a lease on a beautiful apartment near the medical center just a few days prior. It was simultaneously the most hectic and most fulfilling time of Akaashi’s life to that point._

_Bokuto had graduated a year earlier and was playing on a professional volleyball team in Tokyo. Akaashi was upset that he couldn’t attend Bokuto’s game earlier in the day due to his exam, but Bokuto had instead insisted that they meet for dinner later in the evening. The restaurant that Bokuto had suggested was fancy--way fancier than the type of restaurant they would typically go to._

_Akaashi waits outside of the restaurant for Bokuto, shivering from the cool evening air. Bokuto rounds the corner, and Akaashi’s stomach drops. He’s not sure why seeing Bokuto after a while still elicits such a reaction, but Akaashi can’t say he minds. Bokuto is wearing a suit that Akaashi hasn’t seen before and his hair is coiffed off to the side. He looks so,_ so _handsome._

_Bokuto wraps Akaashi in a tight embrace, and Akaashi breathes him in. He smells fresh, like he had just showered, and he’s wearing the cologne that Akaashi likes so much. Being surrounded by Bokuto relaxes Akaashi and he melts in those arms, especially when Bokuto kisses him lightly on the cheek._

_Bokuto leads him into the restaurant and the hostess takes them to a table in the back. There are wine glasses waiting for them already, and Akaashi has a funny feeling that this was all planned._

_They sit down and fall into easy conversation. They talk about Akaashi’s exam and Bokuto’s game (“I wish you could have seen it, ‘Kaashi! Coach said I played really well,”) and Akaashi can’t get over how beautiful Bokuto looks, glowing so brightly even in the low light._

_However, Akaashi notices that Bokuto gets antsier the later it gets._

_“I’ll be right back, Bokuto-san,” Akaashi excuses himself, and heads to the bathroom. He splashes water on his face and looks in the mirror, his heart pounding and he feels like something is about to happen, but he tries to talk himself down (calm down, Keiji, it’s just dinner). But, when he returns to the table, Bokuto is down on one knee and his eyes are shining. There’s a tiny velvet box in his hands and Akaashi’s heart stops._

_“Akaashi Keiji, please, will you marry me?”_

_Akaashi’s lip trembles like a child and he can’t stop the tears welling up in his eyes. He pulls Bokuto up into a trembling kiss. “Yes, Bokuto-san, Koutarou, of course I’ll marry you.”_

“One last thing, Natsu-chan,” Akaashi says, “I just have to check your pulse.” 

He presses two fingers to the side of her neck and counts as he watches the seconds pass on the wall clock. He does the math in his head and writes it down on her chart. Looking at all of her vitals together, Akaashi figures she’s probably good to be discharged. 

“Are you feeling better, Natsu-chan?” 

“Yeah! ‘Lots better, Nurse ‘Kaashi.” 

Akaashi ruffles her messy orange hair and smiles. “You’re very brave, Natsu-chan. I have to talk to the doctor, but I think you’ll be ready to go home soon.” She lights up with a blinding smile.

He’s about to leave the room, but her little voice stops him. “Wait, Nurse ‘Kaashi. What’s your husband’s name?” 

Even after being married for a few years, hearing someone else refer to Bokuto as his husband still makes him irrationally happy. 

_Akaashi sits in the resort lobby while Bokuto checks them in. He’s tired from the long flight but has no desire to sleep, not with the shiny new wedding band on his left ring finger. Bokuto had already asked the bellhop to carry their luggage to their room (and tipped him handsomely, of course)._

_“We’re all set, my love.”_

_Akaashi turns around and sees Bokuto tucking his wallet back into his pocket. The sun is shining through the floor-to-ceiling windows behind him, and Akaashi thinks Bokuto looks like an angel. Bokuto had insisted on booking their honeymoon, so Akaashi had no idea what their arrangements were going to be like._

_“Close your eyes, I want to surprise you,” Bokuto says with a big smile on his face. Akaashi doesn’t want to miss a moment of looking at Bokuto, but he looks so excited that Akaashi complies._

_He nearly yelps when Bokuto picks him up off the ground, bridal style, and carries him. Akaashi clutches onto Bokuto’s shirt and buries his face in Bokuto’s neck. He’s wearing the same cologne he wore on the night he proposed, but the smell of saltwater in the air is stronger._

_“You can look now, Keiji,” Bokuto says, so he does. Bokuto has taken them to a cabana on the ocean with crystal clear water surrounding them on all sides._

_“It’s beautiful, Bokuto-san,” Akaashi says. (But you’re even more beautiful, Akaashi wants to say.)_

_“You know, ‘Kaashi, you don’t have to call me Bokuto-san still. I know it’s a habit, but we’re not in high school anymore,” Bokuto frowns. Akaashi just smiles at him._

_Bokuto carries him through the threshold of the cabana’s bedroom and sets Akaashi on the bed as the salty breeze cuts through the room. Akaashi is laid out beneath him and his heart feels more at peace than it ever has been._

_Normally Akaashi would be uncomfortable with somebody looking at him the way Bokuto is looking at him in the moment, but it’s Bokuto--his beautiful, perfect husband. Akaashi will never get sick of calling him that._

_“Kiss me, Koutarou, please.”_

_Bokuto’s cheeks light up red from Akaashi using his given name, even though he’s said it countless times before. It’s ridiculously endearing and Akaashi can’t help but coax him down into a passionate, open-mouthed kiss._

_They’ve kissed thousands of times but it still makes Akaashi’s heart race, especially with how Bokuto kisses Akaashi like he’s the air filling his lungs and the blood rushing through his veins. Akaashi calls out his name like a prayer._

“His name is Koutarou. Bokuto Koutarou.” 

The clock reads nine, so Akaashi says goodbye to Natsu and checks in with the doctor before clocking out. As much as he wants to rush so he can get home, he washes up thoroughly and disposes of his protective gear appropriately. He still lives in that original apartment with Bokuto so the walk home is short, which Akaashi is grateful for. 

The apartment is completely dark when Akaashi arrives home. Bokuto had always been early to sleep and early to rise, and it made Akaashi sad that with his later shifts, they couldn’t go to sleep together more often. Waking up together always made up for it, though. 

Akaashi takes a quiet shower and doesn’t bother dressing as he steps into their bedroom. Bokuto is fast asleep and Akaashi thinks he looks adorable with his pouted lips and messy hair. Bokuto lifts his arm instinctually when Akaashi lays down and Akaashi snuggles into Bokuto’s chest, breathing him in. He wants to savor the moment and the softness between them but sleep quickly overtakes him--and besides, there’s always tomorrow. The sun will rise in the morning without fail and Akaashi knows that as long as he is alive, there will always be another day to live in Bokuto’s light.

**Author's Note:**

> healthcare provider appreciation in these trying times
> 
> comments/kudos always appreciated


End file.
